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Heavy Thunderstrom over Germany

Caught a heavy thunderstorm with a high amount of thunderbolts over Germany (near Mainz). It was incredible (and probably very stupid ;-)) to see this thunderst...
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Caught a heavy thunderstorm with a high amount of thunderbolts over Germany (near Mainz). It was incredible (and probably very stupid ;-)) to see this thunderstrom from a small hill over my hometown. What a luck the thrunderstorm stayed a long time rainless...
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NIKON D7000

settings

Aperture f/8 ISO 200 Shutter 27/1 Focal Length 180/10

upload_date

Oct, 2015

Views

172

Likes

+25

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Behind The Lens

Location

I took this picture in Ingelheim - Rhineland-Palatinate (near Mainz / area of Frankfurt) during a nearly rainless thunderstorm. I stood over the city of Ingelheim with a fantastic view of the city and to the Rheingau (other side of the Rhine river - where the lighting touched the ground). It's very rare having such a thunderstorm... so has been a lucky shot somehow.

Time

The image has been taken shortly before midnight (23:47h), but the thunderstorm announced itself several hours before. So stood there for a couple of hours watching the thunderstorm becoming stronger and stronger.

Lighting

I tried to get an image of a lightning, to see all details which we are not able to see in the part of a second when it happens. And ... what should I say? It's incredible to see it due in the clouds and all the way down till it touched the earth. It's already a view month ago that I took this image but I still love to see it again and again! And the longer I'm looking at this image the more details and fragments I can see - just love it!

Equipment

I use my Nikon D7000 with the kitlens Nikkor 18-105 f3,5 - 5,6, a wireless remote control and my ToGoPod Luisa Tripod. The EXIF's are: ISO100, f8, 18mm and bulb mode (27sec.)

Inspiration

As a lot of people are afraid of thunderstorms I wanted to show the beauty of the beast! Not everything which scares is scary in every situation... sometimes you just need to look from a different angle or (like in this case) with a special tecnique. I planned to take a picture with a city in the foreground and thunderbolts in the background or above - and my imagination became true! Everyone seen this picture told me that I'm cracy and that it was dangerous - welll probably there has been a risk, but on the other hand everyone is fascinated by the beauty of the thunderbolt and that's what I wanted to show!

Editing

I just did a bit post-processing with Lightroom - white balance, sharpening the hole image a bit and adjusted the dark parts of the picture a little bit. afterwards I finally works a bit on the clouds as they where a bit too bright due to the thunderbolt and thats all.

In my camera bag

Meanwhile I bought a new lens... the Nikkor 10-24mm f3,5-5,6 which is now my favourite lens for landscapes. So I usually take my Nikon D7000, Nikkor 10-24mm f3,5-5,6 + my telephoto lens Nikkor 70-300 f4,5-5,6 and my ToGoPod Panorama Tripod Luisa as well as my Pulse (Alpine Labs) remote control. I don't need more. Sometime, taking photos during daytime I also use me Nikkor 40mm Marco f2,8 lens.

Feedback

If the forecast says thundstorms, I try to keep an eye on several apps as (thunderstorm forecast) where I can see from which direction and IF a thunderstorm is coming. Then I need to know the places from where i might take photos (which I know very well as I've been grown up in this area). I just need to decide which parts I would like to have on my image (cities, forests, rivers or similar) and then I drive to my favourite places and wait. I usually get my equipment ready before the thunderstorm comes - so first of all I set up my equipment and adjust the camera. The best settings for such an image are in general: wide angle (10mm or fisheye are perfect), bulb modus, f/8 - f/13 (depends on the surounding circumstances... or just try it out!)m ISO 100 - ISO 200 and then ... be patient. If the thunderstorm comes take a photo and pray for a thunderbolt within the angle of your lens :-) You do not need to close the shutter as soon as a thunderbolt has been seen, you might also try and wait for the next which gives your shot a double effect! Pls. do NOT shoot such pictures in a forest, under trees or something like is, as it might really be dangerous. Stay near your car or a solid house so that you might escape if the thunderstorm is getting too heavy or it starts raining. I usually try to have my car directly behind me, giving me the opportunity to escape within seconds. Do not risk your life for a single photo!

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sebastiandeist

Heavy Thunderstrom over Germany

Caught a heavy thunderstorm with a high amount of thunderbolts over Germany (near Mainz). It was incredible (and probably very stupid ;-)) to see this thunderst... Read more

Behind The Lens

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Caught a heavy thunderstorm with a high amount of thunderbolts over Germany (near Mainz). It was incredible (and probably very stupid ;-)) to see this thunderst...
Read more

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